TAs
Fall 2024 Programming
Graduate Student Book Club
Teaching Matters: A guide for graduate students, by Aeron Haynie and Stephanie Spong
Tuesdays every other week: 9/10, 9/24, 10/8, 10/22, 11/5, 11/19
1-2:15 p.m. In-person
This book club is open to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows whose primary appointment is in the School of Arts and Sciences or the Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Connect with your peers in this informal book club. We will read "Teaching Matters: A Guide for Graduate Students'' by Aeron Haynie and Stephanie Spong. Each week, we will discuss topics from the book such as designing courses, creating a welcoming classroom community, navigating classroom challenges, cultivating well-being, and more. The book is available electronically through the University of Rochester libraries. The first ten registrants who attend the book club will receive a copy of the book. Meetings will be in person and snacks will be provided.
Giving Effective Feedback as a GTA
October 10, 1-2 p.m. via Zoom
This workshop is for any graduate student or postdoctoral fellow at the University of Rochester.
Graduate TAs give feedback to students in a variety of ways, through grading, in discussion sections, labs, office hours and more. In this workshop we will discuss what the research shows about how to give actionable, specific, and effective feedback to students.
Register for Giving Effective Feedback as a GTA
Classroom TAs
Classroom teaching assistants (TAs) play a vital role in the learning processes of their students. The Classroom TAs page includes useful information on:
- Preparing for class
- Teaching and assisting a class
- Assignments
- After class
Laboratory TAs
Laboratory assistants are responsible for developing student's scientific proficiency. This covers a range of skills, from ensuring that students have a grasp of the work to be done, to introducing them to basic laboratory and safety skills, to supporting students through their experiments and helping them deliver a laboratory report.
The Laboratory TAs page includes information on:
- Crucial questions to review with students
- Preparing for class
- Running a lab
GTA Coaches Program
The Teaching Center partners with Arts, Sciences & Engineering Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (AS&E GEPA) to train all first-time graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). The GTA Coaches Program uses a train-the-trainer model in which AS&E GEPA hires and the Teaching Center trains experienced GTAs to deliver the GTA orientation for first-time GTAs described below. GTA trainers are self-nominated and nominated by a wide range of academic departments.
GTA Orientation
GTA Orientation is offered each fall and spring before the first day of classes as part of AS&E GEPA’s Graduate Student Orientation and is designed to prepare first-time GTAs for success leading instructional activities both in and outside of classroom and laboratory setting. Participating students will be notified by their departments and programs.
GTA Cafés
The Teaching Center also provides ongoing support for and professional development of GTAs through peer-led GTA Cafés. GTA Cafés provide graduate TAs an opportunity to talk about successes and challenges of working as a GTA, learn from experienced GTAs, and meet graduate students from across AS&E.
TA FAQs
These frequently asked questions were compiled by TAs at a previous TA training workshop and cover the following topics:
- Academic honesty
- Assessment
- Classroom
- Pedagogy
- Students
- TA employment issues